Your teams want to be more efficient and work on the move: great signs they are dedicated to doing the best job they can. Unfortunately, as the saying goes, ‘the road to hell is paved with good intentions.’

Do you know what platforms your teams are using? How secure are they? If they are outside your tech audits, how does that effect your compliance, data security and exposure to risk?

The growth and persistence of Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl represents a critical challenge for IT governance. As cloud apps becomes increasingly embedded in every facet of business operations, unsanctioned platforms have considerable implications and can lead to hefty costs in the event of a breach, not to mention the long-term fall out of reputational damage.

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Challenges and Impact on IT Governance

Shadow IT and SaaS sprawl present formidable challenges for IT governance. 2500 new apps are unleashed every day and their unsanctioned use is escalating. Statistics show that 42% of a company's applications consist ofShadow IT, and 67% of employees in Fortune 1000 companies use unapproved SaaS tools daily. 75% of employees across all businesses are expected to use unsanctioned IT by 2027. These practices compromise data security, compliance, financial management and your IT team's efficiency.

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Documented Risks and Real-World Impacts

Data Security and Compliance: The sheer volume of unsanctioned applications significantly increases the likelihood of data breaches and compliance violations. Unauthorised apps often lack robust security controls, exposing organisations to vulnerabilities that IT cannot effectively manage – because their remit is to monitor and optimise sanctioned tools, not necessarily to seek invisible threats.

Financial Implications: The financial repercussions are substantial, with redundant tools and overlapping subscriptions leading to unnecessary expenditure.  The hidden costs associated with SaaS sprawl include wasted investment in unused licenses and redundant applications that conflict, rather than integrate, with sanctioned tools.

Operational Inefficiencies: Shadow IT creates operational challenges by introducing unvetted tools that disrupt standard workflows and data management practices. This not only leads to inefficiencies but also complicates the IT infrastructure, making effective governance more challenging.

So how can you get to grips with Shadow IT fast, without a lengthy audit?

Strategic Approaches and Benefits of Using Centralised Platforms

Adopting centralised platforms such as JumpCloud is essential to effectively manage and mitigate the risks associated with ShadowIT and SaaS sprawl. These platforms offer a systematic approach to regaining control over IT resources:

1. Gain Visibility: By utilising tools that provide insights into both sanctioned and unauthorised applications, such as browser-based monitoring and SSO integrations, IT teams can gain comprehensive visibility into the SaaS landscape within their organisation.

2. Implement Targeted Controls: With enhanced visibility, IT can enforce strategic controls to limit the use of unapproved apps. They can issue warnings, block access to unauthorised tools, and guide users towards secure, approved alternatives.

3. Provide Secure Alternatives: Rather than outright bans, offering corporate-approved applications enhances user compliance and adoption, thereby improving the overall security posture without hampering productivity.

4. Optimise Costs: Centralised platforms enable IT to pinpoint and eliminate financial waste by identifying unused licenses and redundant tools. This optimisation not only conserves resources but also allows for the reallocation of budgets towards strategic IT priorities.

Mastering IT Complexity with Proactive SaaS Governance

A SaaS management platform enables speedy identification all platforms used by your teams that fall outside of official scope AND make it easy to facilitate stringent controls and ongoing oversight. Policies can be applied, preventing unauthorised use of SaaS platforms, keeping your risk profile and security posture stable.

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